Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-04-22
THE COMMERCE COMMISSION
Flooded with Appeals Opposition
90 Suspension of the Fourth
Section.
lRy telegranh 10 the pispalch. J

ny Nei'bihAu W INC biHInNhl
WASHINGTON, ID. c., April q. The
Interstate Commerce Commission is
being flooded with appeals for relief
requests, for constructions OF the law,
and decisions upon hypothetical ques
tons. and cOnundr1ms of q bewilder
ing diversity Of character. The ma
jority Of those who ask for relief find
their grievance in the long and short
haul section, but many protests have
been received against the suspension Of
that section.
The new Alameda Quicksilver Mining
Company of California, the largest
quicksilvcr-producing concern in the
United States, writes that its principal
market is in New York, where its pro
duct comes in competition with Spanish
quicksilver The present transconti-
mental rates have shut them out OF the
New York market entirely.
The California fruit producers almost
daily present disasters threatened to
them by the new rates.
On the other hand, the manufactu-
rers Of the Pacific coast are protesting
energetically against the suspension of
the fourth section SO far AZ it applies to
transcontinental routes.
An application from the Southern
Pacific road for the suspension OF the
fourth section was argued by counsel
this forenoon, and the Northern Pacific
railroad made similar application III
the afternoon.
The counsel for a prominent New
York shipping firm, which runs line
of vessels Ella Cape Horn, was also
heard to-day in opposition to the sus-
pension Of the fourth section.
a stOneware manufacturer OF Stras-
burg, Va, complains that since the
Interstate commerce law went into ef-
feet the road refuses TO transport their
output as heretofore unless put i'll
crates, and at the same time has raised
the charges about one half. He says
that If this continues every stoneware
establishment (siX in number) will be
forced TO close within six weeks. He
asks to be informed elf you can't make
some arrangements to restore the
former conditions.
a sufferer" from Mankatoo, MINI,
writes TO the commission that for the
last five years the people of that vicin-
ity have been paying their fares to con
ductors, thereby making a gOodly
saving. Suddenly the conductors have
experienced q change of heart and are
charging schedule rates, evidently fear
ing the effect Of the new law. lie asks
aid from the commission for return to
the old system.
Several farmers of Orange county,
n. y, representing the farmers and
milk-producers of that county, have
sent in petitions setting forth that the
rates charged by the New York, Lake
Erie and Western Railroad Company
for Transporting milk to Jersey City, Il
distance of fifty miles, are unreasonable
and unjust. The rate charged amounts
to 30 per cent. of the value of the pro
duct, with per cent. more for
ferrvage to New York, which is
more than is charged upon other
traffic of like value and no
greater risk. The charge upon milk
from Summit, iii New York, n distance
of lS4 miles, is the same as from
Orange county. In the estimation Of
petitioners, this being no greater for a
longer than for q shorter distance, is an
undue and unjust preference to partic-
ular persons and localities Like com
plants are made against the New
York. Ontario and Western New York,
Susduebanna and Western, and the Lee
hiqh-Valley and Hudson-iiyer roads.